May 26, 2009

Working for God or doing God's work

( pic from http://www.lolsaints.com/)

With all the wrongs and lies going around, someone who cares about God and the world might pop a gasket or have a hissy fit everyday. And with more bad news coming from all over e.g. Ireland and the recent events at Notre Dame, one can just sink into depression and despair.

While I do not advocate a passive approach of watching things fix themselves, I do suggest a little perspective. It's not like God has left us although that is what many thought after the Holocaust. Have we forgotten the miracle of the dancing sun at Fatima? And how about Mother Teresa who simply picked up and washed dying outcasts but in the process touched the world?

This is God's war and we just have to do our part and keep that big picture in mind. So, there's no cause to feel defeat. There's a huge difference between doing God's work and working for God. A person who works for God will not be perturbed.

And a time will come when our bodies will feel sluggish, weak, tired and ready for that eternal rest. ( My diabetes is getting worse; I might need insulin shots soon. ) As we degenerate to that condition, we end up doing even less. So, while we do not have to be flippant about our contribution, we do not have to take ourselves too seriously either. As St. Teresa of Avila counsels,